


Keeping Us Down is Impossible

by mizufallsfromkumo



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Bisexual Lance (Voltron), Blood and Gore, Character Death, Established Relationship, Hurt/Comfort, Immortal Lance, Immortality, Lance Really loves Shiro, Lance is like super old, M/M, Mild Gore, Shance Fluff Week 2018, Shiro (Voltron) is a Mess, Shock, Stabbing, Twilight References, War
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-09
Updated: 2018-06-09
Packaged: 2019-05-20 03:47:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,804
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14887031
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mizufallsfromkumo/pseuds/mizufallsfromkumo
Summary: If there was one thing Lance had learned in his nearly four hundred years of existence (which was admittedlya lotof things in general), it was that dying in war sucked.Dying in general sucked.But dying in war sucked the worst.





	Keeping Us Down is Impossible

**Author's Note:**

> So, like a few weeks ago I really got like a want for a Forever!AU for Shance. Because that show was amazing and like I needed it okay. So I tried to wiggle it into Shance fluff Week so I could be productive, and this was the only theme I could really think to work it into.
> 
> I might have poured a little too much angst in there for it to be "Fluff" but that is what I always do.
> 
> On the bright side though, I got to post early cause it's Saturday, and I don't have to go to work!
> 
> I hope you enjoy.

If there was one thing Lance had learned in his nearly four hundred years of existence (which was admittedly _a lot_ of things in general), it was that dying in war sucked.

Dying in general sucked.

But dying in war sucked the worst.

For a handful of different reasons, Lance has come to understand.  One simply being, it hardly ever feels worth it. Lance had died countless times in hopes his battalion or group would make it to the other side of things okay.  Only to discover it wasn’t the case at all. Another, it simply never felt fair in the long run of things. Just to name a few.

So when Lance felt the familiar bite of the sword going through his stomach and pinning him to a wall, all he could think was... _quazinack!_

Because one, it hurt like a real mothertrucker on a stick.

And two, he was in freaking space.  

Well on a Galra warship, floating in the middle of space, but still _space_ !  He had never died in space before.  There was no water large body of water around for...probably _hundreds of thousands_ of miles.  Would is magical ability to not stay dead still work?  Or was that going to be it? He really hopes it works.

Lance figured as he glances down at the sword hilt, that it is not the _worst_ way to go.  If this was where it all ended, it’s not the worst way to go, _really_.

Someone screamed off to the side.

And there is more screams around him.

And grunting.

And loud thumps and crashes.

Voices in his ear.  Some yelling and demanding.  Others sounding like their crying as they talked.  Lance can’t coherently make any sense of them all.

_Shock_ his brain supplied.   

He was in shock, a feeling he knew better than he probably should for the way he looked.  (For his age and circumstance as an immortal, it was like greeting an old friend in bar.) But it means his stupidly staring at the sword pinning him to the wall while everything happened around.  He’ll come out of it soon...probably.

“Lance,”  A voice cuts sharply through it all.

Lance looked up to find Shiro, of course it’s Shiro, looking at him calmly.  

It’s not really calm, it’s a forced calm because someone needed a level head in the situation.  And Shiro was the only one not currently trying to cut the Galra commander into ribbons, or a frozen mess of tears.  Not like Keith and Pidge were.

But Lance can see he’s panicking under it all.   

“Hey, hey, it’s going to be okay.”  Shiro ushered calmly, but his voice was weirdly high to sound completely calm.  He reached out to hold Lance’s face as the effects of blood loss from a _giant_ stab wound set in.  “It’s going to be fine.  We’ll get you out of this and back to the Castle.  Get you in a healing pod and all patched up. You’re going to be fine, Sharp.”

No, they won’t.

Lance already knows he’s going to die.  He can already feel the familiar feeling of his life slipping away settling in.  He had like five minutes left at most. That was no where close to enough time to get back to Green Lion or the Blade’s transport ship.  

Of course, he’s not going to _tell_ them that.

They will just rebuttal and tell him to stop talking.  Or just stubbornly cling to the idea that they can make it back in time.  Because if they make it back in time than Lance won’t die. And anyone not dying is a good thing.

“Yeah, I’ll be fine.”  Lance assured with wide grin, and a light chuckle.  “Don’t worry, Shiro.”

It was an attempt a lightening the mood.  A joke of sorts. One that Lance really hoped was true.

Because if his immortality still worked miles away in space, it would all be okay.  And Lance doesn’t really fear death any more. Kind of hard when the universe kept spitting him back out in water alive.  Like he never died. Everything would be okay.

But, of course, that’s when his stomach decides to lunge up and fill his throat with blood and lingering stomach acid.  Lance sort of heaves it out into his hand, which is as disgusting as it always is. And everything all feels like a weak assurance on Lance’s part to make everything seem okay when it's not.

His vision started to get spotty and tunnel as he stared down at the bloody mess on his hand.  Oh, okay, maybe he only had three minutes.

Suddenly his aware of arguing in front of him.  Three voices sharply hissing and shouting at each other.  Debating loudly about something right in front of him.

They need to go.  They need to get Lance away from the wall enough to cut the blade. No, that would take to long.  Pull the sword out and curtize the wound. No, that still left internal damage, cutting the sword was the better option.

It’s a cycle of arguments that would go nowhere, but Lance was going to die no matter what.

Lance had had enough.

He grabbed the hilt of the sword and--

“What the _quazinack_ are you doing?!”  Keith’s voice snapped harshly.

“Not drawing this out.”  Lance huffed as he yanked the sword out of the wall a bit.  He gasped a groan at the sensation. Galra swords hurt the same going out as they did in.   Fun little fact for Lance to act to his collection of fun facts. “I won’t make it back to Green Lion, no matter what you guys decided to do.”  Lance said pulling again, and he feels the sword pull out of the wall more. “It will be fine, though, trust me.”

Lance decided that if he hoped, believed, and figured his immortality still worked in space, then it just would.  The universe _owed_ him that much at least.

“No, Lance--!”  Shiro started.

“No it won’t, Voltron needs you.”  Pidge cuts him off sharply.

There are tears running down her face as he watched him pull out the sword with on last yank and collapse back in the wall.  Shiro catches him, as he legs just give out and Lance falls froward.

“ _We_ need you.  Lance, you can’t--”

Oh, they all think…

Okay, maybe it was a little fair that they thought he was talking about him dying is not in issue.  That they can still have Voltron without him there, because of well a few reasons.

They after all don’t know he can’t stay dead.   _No one_ on the Castle knows that.  Well save Blue and Red, but they were in his mindhole all the time.  So it was unavoidable them finding out. But no one else knew.

And they had no reason to.

Lance heaves up another mouthful of blood and stomach acid.  Slumping into Shiro more when it’s done.

Shiro is pleasantly warm, like he always seemed to be.  But his hold on Lance is unnaturally tight. Like if he is personally holding Lance’s life force in his body.  And if he let’s go Lance will just disappear, which Lance’s knows will happen _regardless_ once he dies...hopefully.  

The forced calm on Shiro’s face was fading quick, the pain and panic in his stormy eyes was taking over.

Lance reached up to lay his hand on Shiro’s cheek.  He kinda misses and smears blood against the black Paladin’s helmet.  But Lance smiled up reassuringly anyway, as he felt death creep in at an alarmingly fast rate.

“It will be okay,”  Lance assured one last time.

Then he breathed out one last time and his life flashed before his eyes.

* * *

_“Lito Lance, have you kept a secret from someone you love.”  Veronica asked tentatively from where she was doing her homework on the dining room table.  Fiddling with the pen in her hand like she always did when she was nervous._

_“Let me see,”  Lance said, leaning in the doorframe of the kitchen.  Crossing his arms and tapping at his chin in thought. “Have I, a man who doesn’t exactly die or age, ever kept a secret from someone I love...hm…”  He dramatically drew out his thought process. “No, can’t think of any time I did that, ‘Nica.” He stated with a wide grin._

_Veronica giggled childishly at his actions._

_Lance could hear Maria muttering in the kitchen behind him.  Something along of likes of “Papí, don’t be smart.” as she huffed about behind him with Luis at her heels for something to eat._

_He doesn’t pay her much mind though as he moved to seat at the dining room table.  Plopping down in the cair to Veronica’s right with a pleasant huff. “Yes, I have kept secrets from people I loved.”  Lance admitted gently. “Why are you asking little starfish?”_

_Veronica glanced down at her homework sheepishly._

_He didn’t need hundreds of years of living and raising three generations of children to understand what that mean._

_Lance hummed softly, leaning forward to whisper.  “Veronica, I have my reasons for keeping secrets from people I’ve loved.  And they are my reasons alone.” He said softly. Smiling at the young girl warmly.  “Sometimes, it’s worked out, other times not so much. I know it’s hard sometimes, figuring out what is the right thing to do.”  Lance carefully moved some of Veronica’s hair behind her ear. “But if it’s a secret that can hurt someone in anyway, it’s best you tell them before they find out some other way, okay?”_

_“Even if I don’t want to?”  Veronica asked with a grimic._

_“Even if you don’t want to.”  Lance repeated with a nod, and stood from the seat, planting a kiss on the top of Veronica’s head.  “It’s for the best.”_

* * *

Lance breaks the surface of the water with a gasp, in the middle of a lake, on a planet he doesn’t recognized.  And double fist pumps the air.

Okay, immortality still worked in space.

Good to know.

Red landed down harshly nearly an hour and half after Lance climbed out of the water.  She was purring and preening happily, as she rubbed the full weight of her mental presence all over his mindhole.  Pride come off her waves, in a way that was both relief and smugness. Because her Paladin can’t be killed so easily in battle.

And she took off after Lance wrapped himself in a blanket he stored in her just in case something like him dying and coming back _ever_ happened and sat down in her cockpit.  

More than happy to fly them back without him really touching the controls.  Taking off as quickly as she could, which was pretty freaking fast. Eager to return him to the Castle and proudly present Lance to the others.  Because they would be happy, _their_ paladins would be happy.

Lance spent most of the ride trying to figure out just what he wanted to say upon his return.  Because the last time he told anyone that he dies, but doesn’t _stay_ dead was like...eighty years ago when he first took in Maria.

Red made it back to the Castle quickly.  Perhaps, a little quicker than Lance would have liked, but beggars can't be choosers.  Leaning down for Lance to exit after she landed. Warmly encouraging him to go as she rubbed against him one last time with a deep purr.  So Lance went.

Wishing he had perhaps, had the sense to have hidden some pants or spare clothes in Red.  Because it would be nice not have to face anyone without pants after he just died. It’s was weird enough the universe spit him back out naked.  If it was truly kind it would have let him come back in the clothes he was wearing. It would have saved him from a few arrests here and there. But Lance isn’t complaining, really.

He finished walking out of Red’s mouth when the door to her hanger opened sharply.  Everyone scrambled in like they couldn’t wait another second. All of them freezing instantly at the sight of him.

“Hey guys,”  Lance started awkwardly with a small wave as he hugged the blanket tighter around him.  “Um...how is it going?”

* * *

Once the hugs, tears, and cursing (god _so much_ cursing, and from Hunk and Allura to boot) go through their first round, and Lance calmed everyone down, they let him go to his room.  To put some actual clothes on. Because Lance was not going to explain what happened to him without at the very least a pair of pants on.  

Everyone seemed to figure that was a good idea.  Agreeing to meet in the lounge common area of the Castle in thirty minutes for Lance’s explanation, as they let him go to his room to change.

Well _mostly_ everyone, Shiro followed him.

Of course Shiro followed after him.  

Lance would been concerned if Shiro didn’t follow him.

He did just die in his arms after being impaled with a sword, like three hours prior.  Probably disappeared in them too.

Shiro had that looked to him.  The kicked puppy in the rain, please don’t let this be a dream, you poor soul look, Lance knows all too well.  

And god it hurts to see on Shiro’s face.

That and Lance’s room was technically one of _their_ rooms.

Lance shuffles around the room for a few moments.  Tying the blanket around his waist as he tried to search for his clothes (or rather his only pair of human underwear).  They always just kind of materialized back to wherever Lance was living at the time. But given that it’s the first time in the Castleship, Lance isn’t exactly sure _where_ to look for them.

“You died,”  Shiro stated suddenly.

“Yeah, it happens.”  Lance said casually, as he tore open a random draw in the wall.  “Happens a lot in wars.” He clarified as he dug around, before, “ha, there you are you quazinacker!”  He declared loudly as he found his underwear, before he turned to glance at Shiro, who is examining one of the hooks by the door.  “I’m honestly amazed this is the first time it’s happened out here.”

All the crap they’ve been through fighting with the Galra in the war for the universe.  It was a miracle something like this hadn’t happened sooner.

“First time...how many times have you _died_?”  Shiro asked suddenly turned to look at Lance with a wide horrified expression.

Which was a little unsettling given Shiro was still wearing the undersuit of his armor.  The plating was probably torn off and discarded somewhere, when everything probably hit Shiro.  Probably tossed against the wall or something when Shiro was alone and let everything out. He can still smell some lingering blood and death hanging in the air.  

Lance hummed lightly as he through.  Trying to think of an answer that won’t freak Shiro out more as he carefully slide his underwear on under the blanket around his waist.  None of the answers were great.

“I’ve lost count.”  Lance settled for as he reached for his jeans.

Because he had.  

After he gave up figuring out how to die, or why he kept not _staying_ dead, he stopped counting. That and it was getting slightly unmanageable to keep track off.   After all it was admittedly a _lot_ , mostly through his own faults.

Shiro made a strangled sound.

“I mean, it’s been happening for a while.”  Lance hurried to clarify. He tossed the blanket aside as he buckled his pants, and went to grab his shirt he had tossed on the floor the night before.  “It’s not like a recent thing, or anything.”

“How long?”  

Lance bit back a comment about Twilight.

“Um...three hundred seventy-....”  Lance answered, pausing to check his math, “six years, I think.  I’m not sure of the date on Earth any more, so it could the three-seventy-seven for all I know.”

Shiro blinked at him, before “You’re 376?!”

“No, I’m 396...or 397.”  Lance corrected, before pausing to double his math.  “Yeah, one of those.” He pulled his shirt on over his head, before turning back to Shiro.  Again finding him blinking at him, his mouth hanging open in surprise at the number. “I was twenty the first time I died.”

Shiro opened his mouth, but closed it.

“What can I say, I have Extreme Baby face.”  Lance chuckled out as he patted at his cheeks with a grin.

Shiro made a sound that was a terrible attempt at huffing a fake laugh.  His gaze falling on the ground in front of where Lance was standing.

Lance understands, it’s kind of a lot to take in.  It just becomes a bigger pill for people to swallow with each passing year.  It wasn’t ever going to get easier for anyone to just instantly wrap their head around.  In his whole life, Lance had told maybe a total of five people out right, and two of them really accepted it.

Lance sighed softly as he moved towards the taller man.

“I’m sorry I didn’t say anything.”  Lance muttered softly as he moved to rest against Shiro’s chest.  Being mindful of his blood that still might be wet on Shiro’s under armor.  Because showing up with blood on his shirt would not be great. Wrapping his arms around Shiro’s waist, kissing his shoulder lightly.  “I know it’s...a lot to take in. But, in my defense, where was I supposed to squeeze in time to tell everyone. Between battles with the Galra, strategy meetings with the Coholition, and missions with the Blade.

“Or right before we first went through the wormhole in Blue.  Just blurt out ‘Hey guys, just so everyone knows, I’m a nearly 400 year old man that basically immortal, through the wormhole we go’.”  Lance stated dramatically with a huff. He glanced up at Shiro as the other wrapped his arms around him losely. Finding himself under Shiro’s gentle but careful gaze.  “Pretty sure that would not have gone over well. Or, maybe, when I was borderline comatose and you all were fighting Sendak.” Lance hummed. It’s a lowish blow, but enough of a point.  “There is no good time.”

Lance paused for a second.  Ducking and hiding his face into Shiro’s shoulder for a moment.  Ignoring the coppery smell of his own blood, and relaxing against the solid feel of him, letting it calm him to the core.  Lance had loved a lot of different people in his time. But there was something special about Shiro.

“Not to mentions, telling people has...backfired on me before in the past.”  Lance admits, suppressing the shutter that wanted to run down his spine.

Shiro’s arms tightened around him at the words.  Like he was trying to make up for all the times someone hurt Lance, or he could protect Lance from them.  Which was unnecessary, the universe was cruel at times, but it was kind at times as well.

After all Lance had his family.  Who all loved him dearly, and barely bat an eye at the fact that he’s immortal and doesn’t age.  In fact they just tease and throw life insurance policy quotes his way.

And he has Shiro.

Which honestly, had to the universe make up for a bunch of shit.

Like throwing him into a war that was older than him.  With a crazy alien empire and a magical space lions. Because you know, he didn’t exactly ask for that.  All Lance wanted was to go to space, okay. Really at the core that was all he wanted to do when he joined the Garrison in the first place.

“On the bright side though, it means I’ll come back if something happens.”  Lance stated as he pulled back to look at Shiro. “I know it works in space now.”

“You _didn’t know_ if it worked in _space_?”  Shiro shirked horrified, pulling back slightly.

“ _Amor_ , there is a lot I don’t know about how the whole immortal thing works.”  Lance said smoothly. “I’ve given up trying to figure it out long ago. Nor was I exactly keen on trying to see _if_ it worked in space.”

“You pulled a sword out of your midsection!”

“I was going to die anyway. Trust me, I’ve died a lot, I know.  No matter what you did, I wouldn’t have made it back. Everyone was arguing in circles.  I didn’t want to draw it out longer than needed.” Lance said breezily, choosing to ignore the way Shiro stiffened slightly.  “But I came back, Red found me, and I am completely in one piece. It worked out fine.”

Shiro grunted in disagreement.

“Takashi,”  Lance started gently, moving to cup Shiro’s face.  “Know I will come back to you. No matter what, I will always come back to you.   _Always_.”

And then Lance leans up slightly to kiss Shiro’s lips.  

Only to get caught up in what Lance liked to called Hurricane Kashi.  

All whirlwinds and passion shoved into one hell of a kiss.  There was a hand in his hair, and hand _all over_ his body.  Tongue in mouth just getting everywhere it can in the best possible way.  His back is suddenly against the wall of the room. All Lance can do is hold on tightly to Shiro as they kissed.

It’s like Lance died and came back to life really.

Which he did.  

So that was fair.

They pulled apart breathless, and panting.  Grinning at each other like idiots.

“You’re very good and putting a romantic twist on the whole thing.”  Shiro commented as he nuzzled against Lance’s ear.

“This isn’t the first time for me.”  Lance returned softly. Fiddling with the short hairs on the back of Shiro’s neck.  “I am almost 400 years old, alright. No offence, but, I’ve had some practice.”

Shiro pulled back with a fake scandalized gasp.  

Huffing slightly as he acted all hurt and bothered by the words.  Lance knows it’s completely fake. Shiro has a playful glint in his eyes.  One Lance knows very well from their time together. He got it whenever he just decided to tickle Lance, or wadde up a napkin and throw it at someone when they weren’t looking.

That and they’ve had a talk about experience before in the past.  Shiro was aware Lance had many ventures in the past...perhaps not the right number.  But enough for him to not bat an eye at somethings Lance had done in the past.

Lance rolled his eyes at the taller man.

“Alright come on, you dork.”  Lance said as he took Shiro’s hand.  “I have to go explain what happened to everyone.  That includes you. I gave you got the really simple abridged version.  So let’s go…”

**Author's Note:**

> Does this have anything to do with the days theme? Barely. But I think it's enough, if it's not well...sorry.
> 
> I love Immortal!Lance so much. Maybe in the future I expand a little more because this was a fun AU of sorts to write. And like it would fun seeing how the team reaches to what Lance has to tell them. As well as like do Shiro's side of things which is way way too angsty for Fluff week. I also plan to do an actual Forever!AU, where Lance is a ME and Shiro is a detective, because I really want it, and this is just a Forever-esque!AU.
> 
> Also, Lance is hella old, to the point where his "grandmother" is his adoptive daughter and his "Siblings" are like his great-grandchildren. Hence why Veronica is a little girl. 
> 
> And the name "Lito" come from what I use to call my paternal Grandfather, because as a child I couldn't say "Abuelito" and just called him Lito, and my grandmother, Lita. And the names stuck for the rest of my family. But I felt like it was a good fit for what Lance's family might call him, because the kids are calling an obviously young guy some form of grandpa. Probably could have gone with Tío and been fine, but I didn't really want that. So....deal with it.
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this fic...see you guys tomorrow.


End file.
